used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading My furniture creaked as the damp, night air crept in.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading I kept imagining that I heard things, as you do when the lights are out and the world is still outside.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I kept imagining that I heard things, as you do when the lights are out and the world is still outside.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
to a severe or serious degree
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
bath-robe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
birthdaynounUS /ˈbɜːrθdeɪ/
an anniversary of the day on which a person was born (or the celebration of it)
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading A board snapped, then my radiator clanked.
bruisedverbUS /bruːzd/
past form of “bruise” — injure the underlying soft tissue or bone of
From this reading In the first place I was bruised and sore from my fall and in the second, frankly frightened.
chinenoun
cut of meat or fish including at least part of the backbone
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
clanked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A board snapped, then my radiator clanked.
clothedadjectiveUS /kloʊðd/
wearing or provided with clothing; sometimes used in combination
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
coralnounUS /ˈkɔːrəl/
a variable color averaging a deep pink
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
creakedverbUS /kriːkt/
past form of “creak” — make a high-pitched, screeching noise
From this reading My furniture creaked as the damp, night air crept in.
inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading My furniture creaked as the damp, night air crept in.
crêpe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
dampadjectiveUS /dæmp/
slightly wet
From this reading My furniture creaked as the damp, night air crept in.
a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading I kept imagining that I heard things, as you do when the lights are out and the world is still outside.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading In the first place I was bruised and sore from my fall and in the second, frankly frightened.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading In the first place I was bruised and sore from my fall and in the second, frankly frightened.
franklyadverbUS /ˈfræŋkli/
(used as intensives reflecting the speaker's attitude) it is sincerely the case that
From this reading In the first place I was bruised and sore from my fall and in the second, frankly frightened.
made afraid
From this reading In the first place I was bruised and sore from my fall and in the second, frankly frightened.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading In the first place I was bruised and sore from my fall and in the second, frankly frightened.
furnishings that make a room or other area ready for occupancy
From this reading My furniture creaked as the damp, night air crept in.
plural of “guest” — a visitor to whom hospitality is extended
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading I kept imagining that I heard things, as you do when the lights are out and the world is still outside.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
hostessnounUS /ˈhoʊstəs/
a woman host
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
imaginingverbUS /ˌɪˈmædʒənɪŋ/
-ing form of “imagine” — form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case
From this reading I kept imagining that I heard things, as you do when the lights are out and the world is still outside.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I kept imagining that I heard things, as you do when the lights are out and the world is still outside.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading I kept imagining that I heard things, as you do when the lights are out and the world is still outside.
plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
From this reading I kept imagining that I heard things, as you do when the lights are out and the world is still outside.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
nighty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading I kept imagining that I heard things, as you do when the lights are out and the world is still outside.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading I kept imagining that I heard things, as you do when the lights are out and the world is still outside.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
a light shade of red
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading In the first place I was bruised and sore from my fall and in the second, frankly frightened.
pyjamas
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
radiatornounUS /ˈreɪdieɪtər/
any object that radiates energy
From this reading A board snapped, then my radiator clanked.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading In the first place I was bruised and sore from my fall and in the second, frankly frightened.
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
snappedverbUS /snæpt/
inflected form of “snap” — utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone
From this reading A board snapped, then my radiator clanked.
hurting
From this reading In the first place I was bruised and sore from my fall and in the second, frankly frightened.
not in physical motion
From this reading I kept imagining that I heard things, as you do when the lights are out and the world is still outside.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I kept imagining that I heard things, as you do when the lights are out and the world is still outside.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading A board snapped, then my radiator clanked.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading I kept imagining that I heard things, as you do when the lights are out and the world is still outside.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
at the time that
From this reading I kept imagining that I heard things, as you do when the lights are out and the world is still outside.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading The night after my birthday party, at which the hostess was clothed in pink pyjamas and a coral bath-robe and one of her guests wore a crêpe de chine nighty, I slept badly.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading I kept imagining that I heard things, as you do when the lights are out and the world is still outside.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading I kept imagining that I heard things, as you do when the lights are out and the world is still outside.
